Rams hold off Tiger boys, 38-33

PITTSBURG -- Riverton defeated Fort Scott High's boys for the second time in six days, shrugging off the Tigers' 11-0 first-half ending run to take a 38-33 win Tuesday night at John Lance Arena on the campus of Pittsburg State University.

Riverton (8-1) also defeated Fort Scott, 56-52, Thursday night in the first round of the Frontenac tournament. That night, they held off Fort Scott after the Tigers rallied to cut a 25-point lead down to two.

In this game, Fort Scott trailed 15-9 at the end of the first quarter after Riverton hit back-to-back three-point goals to close out the period.

Mason Knopp, who led the Tigers (5-7) with 10 points, scored back-to-back basket to begin Fort Scott's sqcond quarter rally, which was capped by Kaleb DeLaTorre's 3-point goal with seconds left in the half.

Knopp scored again to start the second half but Riverton held the Tigers scoreless the rest of the third period and three Grant North baskets put the Rams up 26-25 going into the fourth quarter.

Riverton was able to make it a two-possession game late when North made a basket and followed later by making one of two free throws to make it 31-27 with 3:53 remaining.

DeLaTorre scored off his own steal with less than a minute remaining to cut the deficit to 33-31. Landon North made only one of two free throws with 40 seconds left and DeLaTorre was able to score again to trim the lead to 34-33.

Landon North made two free throws with 26 seconds remaining, then one of two after the Tigers missed a 3-point shot, which made it 37-33 with 14 seconds left.

Grant North led Riverton with 15 points while Chandler Underhill added 10. North also scored 15 points in Thursday's contest.

Fort Scott travels to Iola Friday night for a 7:30 tipoff.

FORT SCOTT: DeLaTorre 3 0-0 7, Brown 3 0-0 8, Pytowany 1 0-0 2, Bradbury 0 0-0 0, Fink1 0-0 2, Sinn 1 0-0 2, Knopp 5 0-1 10, Olin 1 0-0 2. TOTALS: 15 0-1 33.

RIVERTON: Brown 0 0-0 0, Forbes 0 4-5 4, McDonald 0 0-0 0, G.North 7 1-2 15, L.North 0 4-6 4, Qualls 1 0-0 2, Underhill 3 2-2 10, Weaver 1 0-0 3. TOTALS: 12 11-15 38.

Fort Scott...................... 9 14 2 8 -- 33

Riverton........................ 15 4 7 12 -- 38

Three-point field goals: Fort Scott 3 (Brown 2, DeLaTorre), Riverton 3 (Underhill 2, Weaver).

Total fouls: Fort Scott 14, Riverton 8. Fouled out: None.